Ceiling support



Dec. 16, 1930. w w rr 1,785,061

CEILING SUPPORT F'iled March 21, 1928 Patented Dec. 16, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM E. WHITE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T KALMAN STEEL COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF' DELAWARE CEILING surronr .My invention relates to building elements and particularly to a device, collateral to a floor truss, adapted to act as a beam extension and ceiling support.

It is common practice to employ skeleton beams or trusses for the structuralsupport of a floor or ceiling. While trusses are advantageously used as load supporting elements, a drawbackto their use is found in the difliculties arising in the support of the ceiling therefrom at the point between the support for the truss and the end of the tension member at the point of beginning of its upward- 1y diagonal bend. The gap at this point is of somewhat varied extent depending on the possible variations of positioning of the trusses, and means acting as an extension of the tension member in line with the horizontal portion thereof and adapted to be adjusted to such variations, should be provided to act as a support for the metal lath or other ceiling construction elements.

I have devised a simple rod arrangement adapted for interlocking engagement with 5 the lower and upper chords of the truss and extension element must possess adequate inherent strength together with adaptability to easy installation and adjustment.

The invention will bermore readily under-, stood by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation showing a floor truss of common form in position of use, and a chord extension device applied thereto in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof, and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view with thetruss in dotted lines and the device of my invention in full line.

In the drawings I have illustrated a truss consisting of an upper chord 10, a lower chord or tension member 11 and struts or shear members 12. The tension member 11 is bent upwardly near its end as at 13 and is joined to the compression member through the web 14, acting as an end connection.

ries of bends arrangedforinterlocking engageinent with the said chord 11. Preferably the rod is first bend downwardly as at 17 thence laterally as at 18 thence rearwardly as at 19, terminating in a reverse lateral bend 20. The arrangement is such that the horizontal portion 16 lies parallel to and substantially flush with the flange of chord 11, the part 18 passing under the flange while the part 19 extends rearwardly with theprojection 20 overlying the flange on the side opposite to that occupied by part 16; The arrangement is such that engagement of the bent portions with the flange of the chord is very simple, being made: with the opposite end of the rod free of the truss. After engagement of the parts as shown the hooked end 21 formed as a continuation of the horizontal bend 22 andthe vertical arm 23. is brought into engagement by bending the extension portion 16 then forcing the hooked end laterally until in a'position above the top chord, when the resiliency of the metal will draw the parts into the ,position shown in the drawings. Preferably the portion 23 is diagonally positioned so that only the angle 24 is in contact with the wallr'or column. After positioning the extension device, if the angle is not flush with the column a blow by a hammer or other in II forming the device of somewhat resilient material such as commercial square or round rods, it adapts itself very simply to the requirements of the case.

Obviously the construction is capable of considerable modification and I do not wish to be limited except as indicated in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The combination with a truss having upper and lower chords, of a chord extension device consisting of a length of rod bent into substantially a right angle and having hooks formed at its respective ends, the hook at one end having portions adapted to lie over, under and along side of the lower chord and the hook at the opposite end being adapted to pass over the top chord and to engage a flange thereof.

' 2. The combination with a truss having upper and lower chords, of a chord extension i device consisting of a length of rod bent into substantially a right angle and having hooks formed at its respective ends, the hook at one end having portions adapted to lie below and above a flange of said chord to provide an interlocking connection that cannot be disengaged without first disengaging the opposite end, the hook on the opposite end overlying the top chord.

3. A device for closing the gap between the column and the end of the horizontal portion of the lower chord of a truss, consisting of an L-shaped rod the vertical leg of which is hooked over the top chord near the column and the horizontal leg of which terminates in a bend that includes portions adapted to lie on the bottom, top and two sides of a flange of the lower chord, with capacity for sliding movement longitudinally of the truss.

4. A ceiling support for use with trusses having upper and lower chords consisting of a length of wire rod bent into substantially a right angle, the lower extremity of the rod having a laterally bent portion adapted to underlie the bottom chord and terminating in a rebent end adapted to lie above the bottom chord, and the upper end of the rod having a hoop adapted to engage over the top chord of the truss.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature.

WILLIAM E. WHITE. 

